Many people dream of owning a monkey as a pet, but these intelligent animals require specialized care and attention. They also have different needs than typical domestic pets, and some may be aggressive. In addition, the desire for monkeys as pets fuels the illegal wildlife trade, which can contribute to species extinction and decline in population numbers.
Monkeys in the wild live in social groups, and complex biological systems enable them to maintain strong bonds and minimize stress. Unfortunately, many primates that have been kept as pets or used in the entertainment industry end up in sanctuaries, where they often do not thrive.
While all monkeys are omnivorous, some species have diets that tilt more toward plant matter than others. For example, New World monkeys like chimpanzees and gorillas have diets that are 95% plants with only 5% invertebrates. In contrast, Old World monkeys like gelada monkeys are nearly 100% herbivorous.
Some monkeys have specialized anatomy for exploiting specific foods, such as leaves or fruit. For example, leaf-eating colobus monkeys have multi-chambered stomachs that allow them to digest leaves through specialized fermentation similar to that of ruminants.
Other monkeys, such as patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) from Africa or all-male species of howler monkeys in Central and South America, have long digestive tracts for absorbing hard-to-digest leaf nutrients. In this way, they can eat more leaves than other monkeys with shorter digestive tracts.
Many monkeys have cheek pouches that they use to stuff with food. These come in handy when a monkey needs to quickly flee from a predator but doesn’t want to leave their food behind. They can also store food in the pouches for later when they need a quick meal.
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